Electric sign



May 10, 1932- L. A. KOCH. JR

ELECTRIC SIGN Filed Sept. 2, 1931 Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED STATES surname;

My invention relates to electric signs and particularly to the ty LOUIS a. 1:008. Ila. or mm pending application wherein the sign embodies a casing and an illuminating element in the form of a neon tube mounted in the casing.

It is the purpose of my present invention to provide a mounting plate of bakelite or other suitable material for the neon tube which is adapted to .be detachably secured within a casing in covering and spaced relation to the rear wall of the latter, the securing means of the plate also constituting means for mounting the casin upon a desired support. Furthermore, y

late the neon tube is such a mounting secured thereon w from'the casing so that a self contained unit is produced whose mounting in the casing by' the securance of the plate thus avoiding the necessity of efiectmg the mounting of the tube directly with in the casing, an operation having obvious is effected merel disadvantages.

A further purposeof my present invention is to provide an improved connection between the terminals of the neon tube and the terminals of the circuit in which the tube is included, such connection bein for assembly in the self contained unit heretofore mentioned before said unit is secured within a containing case.

In the drawings chosen to illustrate my invention the see Figu grammatically Figure 2, a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 with the sign element in place;

Figure 3 a detail view of the neon tubes with the flexible insulating members engaged thereon, one of the members being shown in section; and

Figure 4, an enlarged detail view of one of the neon tube supporting brackets.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a nucrarc area v a nt-an m lumbar a, mi, m I0. Home.

casing havi set forth in my 00- a bottom w rial Number 542,999

illuminated.

providing le the plate is removed when desi also adapted the casing.

whereof is set forth'in and t a rear wall 10, a top. wall 11, 12, and side walls 13 and 14.- The front of the is adapted-to be closed by a suitable signelement-lt which is held in place by a framelfiformedtotelesco v over the casing A as shown in Figure 2. 1. Th: sign element 15 is, in this instance, shown as a glass pane on which the desiiedwsign is de ineated in any preferred manner, so as; to be- PIOPGI'IflVlBUQliMd when the sign is .0

g 'sposedin the casing A in oovering relation to the rear wall 1()"is*an..insulating plate 17 of bakelite. or other suit- I able materiaL. The plate 17 is spaced from V the rear wall 10 by tubularbushings 18 .preferably of insulating material and screws 19 are engaged through the plate 17, bores of respective bushings 18 and then threaded through the rear ,wall 10 so as to project tothe exterior-pf the latter and provide means for attachin the casing to a fixed support The illuminating structure of thesign is assembled with theplate 17 as a unit while the latter is removed from the casing. This facilitates themanufacture of the v sign by rendering it easier to mount such illuminating structure on the plate and then mount the plate carrying the structure within The illumination of the sign is bad through so the instrumentality of a neon tube 20 which is supported from the brackets B, each of which latter is formed of a metal strip havin one end secured to the plate 17 audits ot er end bent to form an eye 21. The eyes 21 of the brackets are axialliz alined longitudinally of the plate 17 e tube 20 engages through these eyes. Engaged over each end of the tube 20 1s a flexible tube 22 of insulating material, prefplate 17 by erably of stout rubber. Mounted transversely through the wall of each tube 22 is a binding post 23 and each of said posts is connected to the adjacent terminal of the tube 20 by a flexible conductor which is disposed entirely within the related tube 22.

One end of the tube 20 is grounded through a conductor 25 leading from a binding post 23, casing A, and conductor 26. The other we end of the tube 20 is connected to a suitable coil (not shown by a conductor 27 leadin from the relate binding post 23. A switc 28 is included in the conductor 27 for making and breaking the circuit through the tube 5 20 as will be obvious. A cushion 29 is interposed between the tube 20 and plate 17 to protect the tube against damage as a result of vibration.

I claim:

1. An electric sign unit com rising a plate of insulatin material adapte to be detach ably secur in a casing in coverin relation to the rear wall thereof, a neon tu mounted on the plate, a flexible tubular insulating member engaged on each end of the tube, a binding post carried by and projecting into the bore of each mem r, and an electrical connection leading from each binding post tothe adjacent terminal of the tube.

80 2. An electric sign unit com rising a plate of insulatin material adap to be detachably secure to a casing in covering relation to the rear wall thereof, brackets secured to said plate, each bracket com rising a me- 8 tallic strip having its free en bent to form an eye portion, the eye portions of the several brackets being disposed in axial alinement; and a neon tube engaged through the e e portions of the brackets to be supported y I0 the latter.

3. An electric sign comprising a casing, a plate of insulating material therein, said plate being disposed in covering relation to the rear wall 0 the casing, insulating tubu- IS lar spacing members interposed between the plate and "the rear wall of the casing, screws securing said plate to the rear wall of the casing and passing through the bores of the spacing members, said screws also providing 40 means for securing the'casing to a support;

and a neon tube mounted on the plate.

In testimony whereof I hereunto, afix my signature.

LOUIS A. KOCH, JR. 

